Journey
by buriedwr3ckage
Summary: Naraku is dead. The Shikon jewel has been purified. All is well, and peace has come to the small village in feudal Japan. Inuyasha and Kagome are married and leading a simple yet contented life with their young daughter, Aimi, but the impending arrival of their newest addition will soon reveal new paths along their journey through life together. InuKag/MirSan
1. Chapter 1

**WARNING:** This chapter features graphic depictions of sex. Reader discretion is advised.

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The fire crackled softly at Kagome's back, a cauldron of fish stew bubbling steadily above the flames. She worked quickly at the crude cutting board Inuyasha had whittled for her as she sliced and diced more root vegetables with a deft hand. Her swollen belly heavy with her second child - a boy, according to Inuyasha's keen sense of smell having, in recent months, detected male pheromones intertwined with her own distinguishable scent - made stooping over the low table quite the daunting task in the final weeks of her pregnancy. Nonetheless, she managed to fulfill her daily duties as Kaede's apprentice priestess, the village teacher for adults and children alike, and her most important role: wife and mother.

Kagome finished chopping the vegetables and added them to the pot, stirring the broth a few times before mopping her brow with a nearby cloth. The sweltering summer months in feudal Japan made being with child nearly unbearable, much less cooking over an open flame, and she often found herself yearning for the conveniences of the air conditioning blissfully cooling her childhood home five hundred years in the future. But again, she managed. After all, she chose this life for herself. She chose Inuyasha. She chose to be his wife, his mate, and to be the mother of his children, and if that meant leading a much simpler albeit archaic life than she had grown accustomed to, then so be it.

Smiling softly as she recalled the wonderful memories she and Inuyasha had made in the short five years they had spent together as a happily married couple, Kagome tediously lifted herself from her crouched position on the platform and meandered over to the back entrance of the oversized hut Inuyasha had crafted with his own hands just for her. She swept aside the reed mat hanging there, the sun's blinding rays beating down on her as they pierced the clouds below. Squinting against the harshness of the mid-afternoon light, she could see Inuyasha just inside his small workshop stationed at the very edge of their land staring intently down at the whet stone on which he was sharpening the blade of the Tetsusaiga. His fire rat hitatare hung loosely from the waist of his hakama, leaving his off-white hanjuban to expose a V-shaped slit of his bare chest. Even from such a distance, Kagome could see the sweat dripping from his forehead and trailing down his tanned skin, his silver mane plastered to his face and neck. The very sight of her ruggedly handsome half-demon toiling away in the summer heat, toned muscles bulging with every swipe of the blade called forth a familiar rush of heat that pooled at the apex of her thighs - a heat that dissipated as quickly as it came when the fetus growing inside her stretched within the confines of her womb. She pressed a palm to her yukata-clad belly in an attempt to stifle the sudden movement, instantly reminded of the ramifications of Inuyasha merely _breathing_ in her general vicinity.

"I'm gonna get you, Gurē!" A small, lilted voice rang from just beyond the workshop, drawing Kagome's immediate attention. Aimi, their four-year-old daughter, bolted across the grass just then with her arms outstretched as she chased after the slick gray fur of the family's pet cat.

"Wait for me!" Shippo shouted as he teetered along behind the duo toward the chicken coop at the far left of the property. The flock grazing just outside clucked loudly and flapped their wings at the sudden intrusion of the children and their feline friend. An audible bout of laughter emerged from Kagome's chest, jolting her milk laden breasts and bouldered belly and drawing the gaze of her laboring husband.

Inuyasha wiped clean the blade of his sword and sheathed it before stepping beyond the doorway of the workshop and crossing the grass to meet his wife. He stooped to place a gentle kiss on her cheek and a comforting hand on her belly, a few soft strokes by which warranting two strong kicks from his unborn son. "Atta boy," Inuyasha responded, the crooked smile spread across his lips displaying one pointed fang. "He'll be strong yet, just like his old man."

Kagome winced as the pain in her ribs began to subside. "Strong is an understatement." Carrying half-demon spawn in a mortal body was no easy feat.

"Is dinner ready yet? It smells _amazing_ ," Inuyasha asked as he hungrily sniffed the aroma wafting from inside the hut.

"It is, actually. I was just coming to call everyone inside."

"Aimi, Shippo! It's time for dinner! Come inside and wash up!" Inuyasha called.

"Coming, Papa!" Inuyasha waited a moment as his daughter and their fox kit friend turned on their heels and bounded for the hut, Gurē lingering behind to traipse after his feathery companions.

Aimi lept straight into her Papa's open arms as Shippo pounced to perch on his shoulder. "Look at you, pup," Inuyasha said as he brushed Aimi's damp, raven black bangs from her golden amber eyes and hoisted her higher up on his hip. "You're filthy. You'll need a good bath tonight."

Kagome gleamed at the sight of her husband holding fast to their daughter, fighting to keep her raging pregnancy hormones and tears of joy at bay. It so warmed her heart to see the tender and affectionate side of Inuyasha. He had always been an incredibly attentive father, and she couldn't wait to watch him dote upon their son.

"Hey! I could use a nice, warm bath, too!" Shippo protested.

Inuyasha huffed and quipped, "Why don't ya ask the old hag to draw one up for ya then?"

"Inu _yasha_!" Kagome chided. "Have some respect and decency, would you?" Inuyasha's eyes grew wide as Kagome reached for their daughter, Shippo following to the safety of her side. "No worries, kids. Mama will run a hot bath after dinner, okay?" Both children nodded in excitement. For them, bath time was the best time. "As for Papa," Kagome began, shooting a dark yet playful glare in her husband's direction, "a dip in the dirty river will have to do." Aimi giggled in her mama's arms as they nuzzled noses at Inuyasha's humiliated expense and turned back into the hut.

A low grumble escaped from Inuyasha's chest as he strode immediately after the crew, planting a clawed hand firmly on his wife's plump, round ass and leaning over the shoulder opposite from which Shippo sat. "I'll show you _dirty_ ," he growled, nibbling her earlobe. His hot breath on her skin sent delightful shivers down her spine, but she responded with a pointed shove to his chest and furrowed brows lowering over her coffee-colored eyes, silently conveying the "not in front of the children"message he knew all too well.

Kagome carried the children over to the basin of water she'd recently filled and gestured for Inuyasha to help them wash up while she set to portioning bowls of stew at the table. Inuyasha sighed heavily and shuffled over to the basin, following orders as instructed in hopes that he'd be rewarded for his obediency later that night.

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After dinner and a bubble bath for both children courtesy of some soaps sent as a gift from Baba Higurashi, Inuyasha accompanied Shippo back to Kaede's hut just across the river as night had fallen, and Kagome refused to allow him to return home alone. Meanwhile, Kagome assisted Aimi in brushing her teeth (necessities for which Kagome was eternally grateful to her mother for also sending along with her on her last trip back from her time), combing her hair, and pulling on her nightgown. She tucked her daughter snuggly into the mat on the floor of her room, blew out the candle flickering in the corner, and quietly crept across the wood floor out into the hall.

Leaving the shoji screen ajar just a bit in case Aimi needed her during the night, Kagome toddled back to the western side of the hut to the sizable attached bathroom Inuyasha had been gracious enough to include for her. In his absence, she'd stoked the fire outside and drawn another bath just for the two of them. She knew Inuyasha's earlier fondling would come to fruition, because the wild hormones pumping through her veins, the hot dampness between her legs, and the bathtub she requested be large enough for two demanded so.

Kagome freed her hair from the kanzashi sticks by which it had been secured in a tight chignon and shed her yukata only to deposit it into a woven basket nearby, destined for washing later. Delicately balancing herself at the wooden tub's edge, she carefully toed into the steaming water and sank onto one of the small semicircle benches installed on either side. Her swollen ankles and aching breasts absolutely relished the relief of the hot water even on such a muggy summer night. Soft flames licked at the wicks of the candles she'd previously lit in the dim room, and the relaxing aroma of freshly picked jasmine rose up from the petals floating atop the bath water. All she needed now was her devilishly handsome husband, and this perfect evening would be complete.

Sighing contentedly, Kagome closed her eyes and rested her head against the edge of the tub just as she heard the shoji screen sliding open further followed by calloused feet shuffling across the floor. "Don't have all the fun without me," Inuyasha said. She offered him a warm smile, opening her eyes to a mere half mast and turning her head to watch him shrug out of his clothing. He sauntered over to the tub, stark naked in all his six-foot-two, toned, and tanned glory and hopped in. He nudged her forward a bit with his knee and settled in behind her, immediately reaching for a rag draped over the lip of the tub. Stretching his arms around her, he dipped the rag into the warm water and began slowly cleansing her skin. He started at her neck, delicately washing and massaging away the day's tension as his free hand rubbed soothing circles over her protruding belly.

Kagome hummed and sighed in approval. This - _this_ is what she loved most about her life in feudal Japan. These quiet, intimate moments alone with the man that loved her more than life itself. Not once did she ever envision herself giving all of her to anyone else, not even for one second. She had somehow always known that Inuyasha would give her everything, would do anything just for her, and he had. He built a beautiful home for her with his bare hands that rivaled even the most elaborate mansion in the village. He'd given her the child - nay, _children_ \- she'd always longed for, but most importantly, he'd shown her unconditional, irrevocable love. He'd provided her with lifelong companionship that she valued and cherished as though it were a thousand Shikon jewels.

"Think he'll be here soon?" Inuyasha asked, snapping Kagome out of her blissful trance. She giggled softly at the gentle kisses he placed along her neck and nestled into the safety of his chest.

"Mmm, I certainly hope so," she replied, her own hand joining his to rub the taut skin of her belly. "If this belly stretches anymore, I might burst."

A low rumble of laughter vibrated her back, Inuyasha's hot breath scalding her scalp. "You're the strongest woman I know, Kagome, walkin' around with a half-demon baby usin' your insides for a punchin' bag." His ever-present sense of humor elicited laughter from them both, but his earnest compliment was not lost on her.

Kagome craned her neck to the side to look up into those smoldering amber eyes, wrapping an arm around his neck to pull his lips down on hers. The kiss was chaste at first but deepened as Inuyasha traced her lower lip with his tongue, nipping ever so slightly. "I love you," Kagome murmured between breaths.

"I love you, too," Inuyasha replied instantly, his heart pounding in his chest as his blood rushed straight to his groin. He cupped her cheek with the hand that once held a rag, now long gone, and brushed aside strands of her jet black hair before leaning down to steal her lips once more. He worked his tongue across every centimeter of the sugary cavern that was her mouth, delighting in her taste as the hand on her belly began moving south.

Kagome whimpered longingly as his claws reached the tuft of silky curls beneath her belly, her nails digging into the flesh of his hand to urge him down even further. The very tip of his index finger grazed the tiny bundle of nerves nestled between her folds, and her breath hitched in her throat, her head falling back onto his shoulder as her back arched against his chest and her hips canted forward, desperate for more contact. Staring down at her long lashes fanned across the apples of her cheeks and the blush pooled upon them, Inuyasha's breath quickened, cock throbbing and stiffening against her lower back as the scent of her desire for him began to permeate the steamy water.

A feral growl rose from his chest, and Inuyasha bowed his head to suck and bite and leave his mark on his mate's neck while his once rag wielding hand clasped a swollen breast, working the stiff peak of her dark brown nipple between his fingers. Moaning once again, Kagome thrust her hips toward his touch and attempted to shove his hand closer to her heat despite his strength. Inuyasha told her he'd show her _exactly_ what dirty could mean, but he never said it'd be quick... or easy.

"Tell me what you want," he rasped, licking the shell of her ear. He flicked one deft finger across her sensitive clit, jolting every muscle in her body with an electrocution of burning pleasure.

She cried softly, trying her damnedest to guide his hand exactly where she wanted it. "I want it," she whispered. She splayed her thighs as wide as she could within the confines of his knees, feeling as though she may burst into flames or tears - she wasn't certain which given the erratic nature of her hormones - at any given moment.

" _Tell me_ ," he demanded, cock standing at full attention now. He was so painfully hard and desperate for both of their releases. He wanted her to beg for it, to take orders from him this time, but he wasn't sure he could delay the inevitable much longer before he took her however he pleased.

Inuyasha nibbled along the length of her jaw, awaiting her response. "I... I want _you_. I want you inside me. _Please_." So it seemed she was starving for climax as much as he, and he was determined to give her _exactly_ what she wanted.

He chuckled darkly, a deep sound emanating from his chest that sent a visible shiver along Kagome's entire body as he continued his assault on her breasts, massaging one and then the other a his fingers found her pulsing entrance. Kagome gasped sharply and impaled herself upon his two fingers, disregarding the claws that could've shredded the walls of her delicate sheath in mere seconds. She guided his thumb across and around her clit, vehemently attempting to unwind the coil of pleasure tightening low in her engourged belly.

Adding a third finger, Inuyasha captured his mouth in hers to stifle her scream that somewhat resembled his name as she bounced herself up and down along his slender digits. Ripples of warm water lapped against the rim of the tub, some spilling over but neither cared as sweet, sweet release grew nearer.

" _Yes, yes... Oh, fuck, Inu... yasha... YES, right there! Ah! Faster, yes!"_ Inuyasha could feel that familiar tingling sensation in his balls as he feverishly worked her clit and pumped in and out of her tight heat. He couldn't hold out much longer, but he wanted her release more desperately than his. Kagome _always_ came first.

Abandoning her breasts, Inuyasha wrapped one clawed hand around his mate's neck and commanded, "Come for me, you dirty wench." And that was it. Kagome's vision flashed completely white as molten hot pleasure coursed through her veins and her walls clamped so tightly around Inuyasha's fingers he was certain they'd break. His name fell from her lips like an incantation, a prayer to the gods, and her body fell limp back against him, muscles still convulsing. But he wasn't finished with her yet. "Over there. On your knees," he instructed.

Kagome stood shakily and wobbled over to the opposite bench in the tub, gripping the edge for support as she bent over and bore her perfectly round ass and weeping core to her mate. Inuyasha stood still in the center of the tub for a moment, giving his hard cock a firm squeeze to prevent himself from exploding all over her right then and there while he watched her slick entrance continue to pulsate with every heaving breath she took. He had to be inside her _now_.

He waded the few remaining steps through the water and positioned his glistening tip at her beckoning heat, drawing a sharp moan from his wife. Clawed fingers wound themselves in the tresses of her midnight hair and pulled just enough to make her whimper. "I told you I'd show you dirty," he stated through grit teeth and pistoned into her. Kagome lurched forward, grinding her teeth against the wooden edge of the tub to stifle her scream.

Inuyasha pounded into her mercilessly, relishing in the sound of flesh slapping against flesh and the water sloshing around them. It was his turn to chant her name, the hand gripping her hip certain to leave bruises in his wake. He could feel himself edging closer to the precipice, prepared to take the dive into utter and absolute euphoria and fill every inch of her with his seed.

Tears pricked Kagome's eyes as the claws tangled in her hair pulled ever more, a dull burn radiating across her scalp, but even more so, she could feel the heat low in her belly again, prepared to spread like wildfire throughout her body at any moment. And she wanted it _bad_. She made her own attempt to bring them both to orgasm by meeting Inuyasha's every thrust with the same force and intensity, driving his thick, hard cock as deep into her core as possible. She could feel him throbbing inside of her and took notice of the erratic pattern of his thrusts. Pure, unbridled bliss was near.

Inuyasha could no longer maintain control. His hand slipped from his wife's hair, and his claws trailed along the mounded flesh of her ass. " _Ka... go... me_ ," he panted. Kagome responded only with quickening whimpers, and Inuyasha roared his release, breathlessly repeating her name as his hot seed coated her walls. Kagome followed suit, her pulsing sheath draining every last drop her husband had to offer.

The pair stilled for a few minutes, the only sounds being that of their ragged breathing and the water dripping from their naked bodies. Resting his forehead in the small of Kagome's back, Inuyasha used the edges of the tub to support the brunt of his weight so as not to crush his heavily pregnant wife. Convulsions of pleasure and heart rates began to slow, muscles relaxed, and the two untangled themselves from one another.

Both plopped lazily onto the bench, and Kagome rested her weary head on her mate's shoulder. Inuyasha smiled lazily, planting his chin atop her head and suggested, "Let's get cleaned up and head to bed, eh?" Kagome nodded slightly in agreement with a sated yawn and reached for the shampoo.

With the bathtub drained and both of their clean bodies clad in nightclothes, the duo padded toward the eastern side of the hut, stopping momentarily to look in on a peacefully slumbering Aimi with Gure curled up at her side. All was well within the confines of their humble abode, and the two made off to their own room, crawling beneath the sheets to seek their own rest.

Inuyasha snuggled closely into Kagome's back, her scent bringing him instantaneous comfort. He folded one arm beneath his small pillow and set to rubbing soft circles over his wife's swollen belly once more. As usual, his unborn son responded to his touch with a long stretch and a solid kick for good measure. Inuyasha smiled and kissed the exposed skin of Kagome's shoulder. "I love you so much," he whispered into the quiet darkness.

"But I love you so much more," she replied.

If he'd had the energy, Inuyasha could've argued with her all night long about how wrong she was, how it was impossible for anyone to love another person as much as he loved her. But alas, his tired muscles and exhausted mind needed to rest and recouperate to begin again tomorrow as the best husband and father he could be.

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 **Key:**

• hitatare - Japanese term for Inuyasha's fire rat robe

• hakama - Japanese term for Inuyasha's pants

• hanjuban - Japanese term for Inuyasha's undergarment

• yukata - Japanese term for knee-length robe worn by women as casual, everyday clothing

• Gurē - Japanese term for gray/grey

• kanzashi sticks - Japanese term for decorative sticks used to tie up hair

• Baba - Japanese term for affectionately referring to one's own grandmother


	2. Chapter 2

" _Mamaaaaa_!"

Kagome awoke with a start, bolting upright at the sudden terrified cry of her young daughter. She scrambled to her feet as Inuyasha reached for his Tetsusaiga, and the pair sprinted beyond the open shoji screen, narrowly colliding with their child. "Aimi, honey, what is it? Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Kagome scooped her daughter into the safety of her arms and hugged her close as she continued to weep into her mother's shoulder.

Inuyasha leaned closer to his pup, fervently sniffing her scent for any sign of injury. "No, she isn't hurt. Not bleedin', anyway," he reassured, his grip on the Tetsusaiga's hilt loosening.

"Then what's wrong, sweetheart?" Kagome asked, smoothing her daughter's hair. "What's got you so-" The young mother was abruptly interrupted by the raucous roar and vibration of thunder overhead. Lightning crackled suit, illuminating the night sky and the quaint hallway of the hut as though it were daylight. Torrential rain pounded the roof and ground outside. Aimi wailed in terror once again and nestled deeper into her mother's warm embrace.

Inuyasha huffed, annoyed and exhausted. "It's just a storm, pup. You've been through one before. Hell, I remember a time when you'd sleep right through 'em." Kagome shot her husband a cold glare, though he spoke the truth. As an infant, Aimi slept like a rock. "Back to bed with you, kid," Inuyasha continued, blatantly ignoring his wife's anger as he gestured lazily toward his daughter's room and yawned.

"But... but _Papa_ ," Aimi choked, hiccuping and sniffling as she fixed her father with watery eyes. Kagome stared at him doe-eyed, too, and Inuyasha crumbled.

"Alright," he sighed and reached for his daughter, cradling her in his arms like a baby. "But keep your puny cold feet offa me, ya hear?" Aimi only giggled in response as her papa tickled her side and carted her off to her parents' room.

Kagome regarded her little family with admiration, ever in awe of the unique bond Inuyasha and Aimi shared. She was his first, after all. His firstborn, his little girl, his reason for striving daily to be a great father, and a great father he was. Kagome could only hope that their son would have the same close relationship with his father, but she admittedly harbored doubt. She knew Inuyasha's father had held him and his elder brother Sesshomaru to unattainable standards. For years, she watched Inuyasha push himself to the brink of death to surpass the power his brother and father possessed, and she prayed relentlessly that Inuyasha would love and nurture his own son simply as he would be, free from the shackles of expectation.

Casting her worries aside for now, Kagome padded back into her room and followed her husband and daughter into bed. Aimi scampered across the mat into the comfort of her father's chest, grateful for his warmth and the soothing sound of his heart beating in his chest. Kagome snuggled in close behind her, threading her fingers through Aimi's matching hair as she watched the loves of her life drift off into peaceful sleep once more.

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Morning arrived, and Kagome dragged herself from the comfort of her bed to dress for the day ahead. Inuyasha and Aimi as well as Gurē - who seemed to have snuck in at some point during the night - lay still, entangled in one another and slumbering soundly. Quietly, Kagome meandered about the room, securing her hair with kanzashi sticks again and selecting a pale yellow yukata to wear. She grimaced as the cotton fibers of the garment stretched tightly around her swollen belly and silently prayed that the fetus incubating in her womb would soon be evicted.

Defeated by her own clothes, Kagome set about her morning tasks. The first order of business was to prepare breakfast. The violent monsoon still raged outside, making harvesting fresh eggs as usual an impossible feat, but fortunately, Aimi and Shippo had happily collected a couple dozen from the coop yesterday afternoon. Kagome stoked the smoldering fire then and made quick work of frying the eggs and some forest mushrooms, ignoring the twinging pains in her lower back. Soreness and aches weren't uncommon during pregnancy, by any means, and having to share her bed with an additional partner the night before only amplified her discomfort, but alas, a tumultuous night's rest paled in comparison to her daughter feeling safe and calm as she slept.

Breakfast was nearly ready to serve when Aimi jogged into the room donning a floral kimono. "Morning, Mama!" she sing-songed. A thick, black braid swung to and fro between her tiny shoulders with a large bow tied at its tail.

"Good morning, my love," Kagome beamed as her daughter hugged her tightly and planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek. "You look beautiful as always."

"Thank you, Mama. Do you like my hair?" she questioned, smoothing the long mane over her shoulder proudly. "Papa braided it just how I like it." Inuyasha emerged from the east wing then, shrugging into his hitatare. Gurē slunk tiredly behind.

"Yes, Papa's _very_ good with his hands, isn't he?" Kagome winked over at her husband who smirked triumphantly in response.

"Uh-huh. He's the _best_ at braiding - the best in the whole world!" Aimi exclaimed, spreading her arms out wide.

"That's because Mama taught him everything he knows," Kagome teased, winking at her husband.

Inuyasha snorted and rolled his eyes. "As if." He padded over to kiss the top of his wife's head and rub her back a few times. "How'd ya sleep?" he asked, changing the subject.

Sighing as she poured servings of hot tea, Kagome answered, "As best as an expectant mother can, I'd say."

Inuyasha smiled wanly and took his seat across the table from his mate. This was the second time he'd watched her struggle to carry his offspring, and though nothing made her happier than becoming and being a mother, he often found himself wishing he could bear the weight and the pain it entailed for her.

The family chatted idly over their morning meal. Inuyasha and Kagome mused about the potential damage to be discovered once the storm had passed, and Aimi occasionally chimed in with excitedly curious questions about her baby brother's impending arrival. Once finished, the three cleared the table and washed the dishes before parting ways to continue with their respective days.

Inuyasha resigned himself to the den from which Kagome could hear the familiar sound of wood being carved. She chocked it up to her husband merely honing his carving abilities given the dreadful weather barring him from retreating to his workshop. Meanwhile, Kagome found herself confined to the hut as well, leaving her unable to venture further into her studies as an apprentice priestess or to teach her lessons to the villagers. Her daughter, however, was not exempt from her courses in spite of the rain, so Kagome gathered sheets of paper, brushes, and a bamboo pot of ink to focus on strengthening the young girl's kanji skills.

The ensuing morning hours were consumed with Aimi's education: reading, writing, and arithmetic, until the child could no longer focus, so Kagome bid her free to enjoy a recess with the many toys scattered about her room. Desperately needing to stretch her own muscles, Kagome lifted herself from her perch at the table only to be jolted suddenly by a harsh pain in her abdomen. She choked a soft cry and steeled herself against the table, Inuyasha seemingly manifesting at her side.

"What is it, Kagome? Are you alright? Is it time?" His questions fell on deaf ears as Kagome pondered whether the pain had actually been a contraction of labor, but she shook her head decidedly, confident that they'd remain a family of three a bit longer.

"No," she breathed, catching her husband's concerned stare. "Not yet. Just growing pains, I guess. Must be getting a little cramped in there." She smiled then, calming Inuyasha's frazzled nerves.

"Are you sure?" Inuyasha prodded once more for good measure.

Patting his chest in order to comfort him, Kagome nodded. "I'm fine, Inuyasha. I promise."

He smiled back at her. "Good, 'cause I wanna show you something." He took her hand in his and carefully guided his waddling wife to the far western side of the hut. There, in the midst of the small den, sat a hand-crafted rocking chair made just for her. "I finally finished it," Inuyasha said as Kagome's free hand instinctively sprang to cover her overly joyous heart and hot, happy tears pricked her chocolate brown eyes.

She'd wanted a rocking chair since the day Aimi was born. She had such fond memories of them, her mother lulling her to sleep each night as a child with its gentle sways back and forth. Bringing one through the well from the future wasn't exactly feasible, so Inuyasha set about familiarizing himself with the design to make one for his wife. He made numerous failed attempts throughout her first pregnancy and their daughter's infancy, but he abandoned the task as the child grew older, uncharacteristically accepting defeat. Kagome hadn't mentioned his humiliating rocking chair fiasco since, nor had she the faintest inkling that he'd been whiling away his time in the workshop perfecting this masterpiece for her.

" _Oh, Inuyasha_ ," Kagome sobbed.

Inuyasha's eyes grew wide. "What? Don't tell me you hate it!"

"No, no, of course not!" she assured. "It's just... so incredibly thoughtful. It's perfect - just _perfect_. Thank you so much." She leaned forward to plant a few chaste pecks upon her mate's lips, drying her tears of elation with the back of her free hand.

Smiling triumphantly, Inuyasha ushered her toward the chair. "Well, don't just stand there. Try it out!"

Kagome gleefully whisked over to the chair and took a seat. The soft, sanded wood groaned beneath her as she gently rocked to and fro, tears stinging her eyes again. How had she managed to marry such a wonderful man?

Inuyasha tucked his hands into the sleeves of his hitatare as he watched his wife adore her gift. It never ceased to amaze him how the most minuscule things brought her such bountiful joy. "I can't wait to watch you holding our son," he said. Kagome hummed happily in agreement, rubbing her protruding belly. "I hope he looks as much like you as Aimi does." It was true. He wanted his children to be carbon copies of their stunningly gorgeous mother.

"So long as he has those eyes of yours," Kagome added, almost certain their son would be a replica of his older sister: raven-haired and golden-eyed.

Heat instantly rushed to Inuyasha's cheeks, his wife still able to make him blush with a single compliment even after all these years. "Yeah, yeah," he replied, eager to escape the intensity and the intimacy of the moment. "Whadda ya say we get this thing moved into the nursery?"

Kagome accepted the offer of his outstretched hand and hauled herself from the chair. "I've got just the place for -"

Thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed then as Kagome felt that familiar pain in her belly, the same one from before. Only this time, it was _much_ stronger. She cried out, doubling over but managed to stay upright due to Inuyasha's supportive grasp.

As the pain began to wane and the blood rushing behind her eardrums subsided, Kagome heard the faint sound of water dripping. For a moment, she feared that debris from the storm may have damaged the roof of their hut, causing a leak, but she soon realized that the sound was coming from her own body, more specifically the clear fluids that had suddenly burst from her womb and pooled at her bare feet.

This was it. It was finally happening. " _Inuyasha_ ," she gasped, a mixture of surprise, excitement, and fear washing over her. " _It's time_."

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

 **Key:**

• kanzashi sticks - Japanese term for decorative sticks used to tie up hair

• yukata - Japanese term for a knee-length robe worn by women as casual, everyday clothing

• kimono - Japanese term for formal clothing much like a robe with long, loose sleeves and tied at the waist with a sash, typically made from silk

• hitatare - Japanese term for Inuyasha's fire rat robe

• Gurē - Japanese term for gray/grey

• kanji - Japanese term for writing using Chinese characters


	3. Chapter 3

**WARNING:** This chapters depicts graphic scenes of childbirth. Reader discretion is advised.

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

Sango quietly yet hurriedly prepared the birthing stool and it's designated area for the arrival of her best friend's second child. Shortly after Kaede was safely deposited at Kagome's side with all her necessary supplies, Sango had been beckoned for by a rather understandably anxious Inuyasha appearing at the entrance of her own hut that she shared with Miroku, their twin daughters, and their toddler son.

The downpour had soaked the half-demon to the bone, but he'd managed to keep Shippo and little Aimi fairly dry thanks to the protection of his fire rat hitatare. The young girl untangled herself from her father's robe, Shippo following behind, and the pair scampered toward their identical friends. Miroku nodded knowingly at his wife and Inuyasha, silently promising to watch over the children as the two immediately set out for Inuyasha and Kagome's home.

Kagome's wail of pain momentarily distracted Sango from her work, her concerned gaze racing over to where her friend stood clinging to her husband and swaying back and forth in an attempt to alleviate that which ailed her. A smile formed on Sango's thin lips as she watched Inuyasha soothe his laboring wife, humming an unknown melody with his chin atop her head and applying counter pressure to her lower back. He matched pace with Kagome's gently swinging hips and whispered calming affirmations to her between pains.

Inuyasha was completely unlike the other husbands and fathers in the village, in this era no less - his half-demon composition not withstanding. It had long been tradition for men to step aside at the time of childbirth and allow the village women to tend to the new mother, but Inuyasha was different. His nature made his bond with his mate incredibly strong. Nothing could keep him from Kagome, especially when she was at her most vulnerable. Sango's smile grew even wider as she remembered fondly the argument that Inuyasha had with Kaede in this very hut on the eve of young Aimi's arrival years ago.

 _"I'm not leavin', you old hag, and you can't make me!" Inuyasha shouted as Kaede continually ushered him toward the entrance of the hut. Sango made her best attempt to ignore the heated confrontation and focused her attention on helping Kagome through her most recent pain._

 _"Ye must, Inuyasha! Sango and I will tend to Kagome's needs. I will send for ye the moment the child is born. Now, go!" Inuyasha stood defiantly, his hands tucked into the opposing sleeves of his hitatare and growled deeply as Kaede gave his chest the most delicate of shoves given his musculature._

 _Pain gripped Kagome's entire body then, and she cried out for her husband, snapping everyone's attention in her direction, "Inuyashaaa!" Sango moved quickly to calm her laboring friend as she continued to plead mercilessly for her half-demon standing mere feet away._

 _Inuyasha growled again only much louder this time. "Listen, you ancient relic._ ** _I_ **_put that pup in there, so **I** am gonna see it through, ya hear? I ain't leavin' my wife, and that's final." He pushed past Kaede then, his stone hard body nearly knocking the frail woman to the wood floor and took the doula position on the seat of the birthing stool behind Kagome. _

_Inuyasha rolled the sleeves of his hitatare to his elbows and took the cold, wet rag from Sango's outstretched hand. Delicately, he wiped beads of sweat from Kagome's face and neck as she leaned back into his chest the best she could despite the backrest between them. Her demeanor instantly tranquiled as she reveled in the comfort and warmth of her mate, and Sango and Kaede exchanged knowing glances. Inuyasha truly wasn't going anywhere._

In the end, Inuyasha came to be Sango and Kaede's greatest asset. He held an astounding air of persuasion over his mate and could easily convince her to give it her all even when her mental and physical strength had waned entirely. If only every husband and father had such power and fortitude.

"Sango," Kaede spoke from her place at the fire pit, "the water, if ye would." Sango nodded curtly and followed suit, removing the iron cauldron of boiling water from the heat with a couple of cloths in hand. She placed the pot at the foot of the birthing stool where it would be needed as Kaede continued warming a mixture of essential oils and medicinal herbs over the flames.

Meanwhile, Inuyasha's gut churned as his wife's typically delightful scent was consumed by the stench of pain. He felt completely helpless and utterly useless as he held his shivering love close, wishing he could help her. Hell, he wished he could _do_ it for her.

Kagome breathed steadily and rested her cheek against his chest, her arms wrapped around his neck. Soft whimpers escaped her lips as he felt another pain contract the muscles in her swollen belly, occasionally alternating to the small of her back.

"Inuyasha," she barely whispered. If it weren't for his heightened senses, Inuyasha was certain he wouldn't have heard her. He hummed in acknowledgement and shifted to look down at her. She opened her eyes to half mast, the hurt obvious in her coffee-colored orbs. "I need to..." she began, one hand moving under her belly. "The pressure - _ah!_... It burns. I- I need to push."

Nodding slightly, Inuyasha commanded, "Kaede, it's time." The old woman grunted in understanding and lifted herself and her oils from the fire. She shuffled over to Sango's side at the birthing area as Inuyasha cautiously guided Kagome there, too.

The wooden birthing stool creaked beneath Kagome's weight as she slowly inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth, squeezing her eyes tightly shut against the torrent of labor pains. The searing burn of her unborn child's seemingly _enormous_ cranium challenged all of her will and strength as it crowned from the folds of her womanhood, feeling as though it may rip her apart at any moment. Inuyasha settled in behind her, his presence comforting beyond words as Sango loosened the tie on her yukata a bit. She brushed the layers of fabric to either side of Kagome's belly, exposing her bare skin to the muggy afternoon air and allowing for a better view of the mother's center for herself and the elder priestess.

"Pace yourself, child," Kaede said, dabbing a warm, oil-soaked cloth around the edges of Kagome's sore and swollen opening. Kagome winced at the contact and the added heat. "You're doing well. With your next pain, bear down gently."

Kagome nodded, her fingernails clawing at the flesh of her knees as another contraction quickly approached. Inuyasha performed his usual duty of mopping her brow with a cool rag and offering sweet affirmations again. Sango prepared a few cloths and blankets for receiving and placed an empty basin between Kagome's feet to catch the contents of the afterbirth.

The pain reached its peak, and Kagome panted desperately, succumbing to the pressure in her lower half and bearing down ever so slightly. She grunted against the friction in her pelvis, trying to focus on Inuyasha's comforting hand on her hip instead. Sango encouraged her gently as well, and Kaede meticulously barked instructions, though affectionately so.

This same pattern continued on for over an hour, Kagome doing all she could to will her body to adjust to the size of the fetus attempting to free itself from her, but she was thoroughly exhausted. She fell back against Inuyasha, breathing heavily and shaking her head fervently as tears pricked her closed eyes. "I can't," she cried. "I can't do it anymore."

"Of course you can," Inuyasha replied, his breath hot against her ear. He dabbed her forehead again, sweeping her sweat dampened bangs from her eyes. "You're the strongest woman I know, remember?" Kagome smiled weakly at that, recalling his compliment from the previous night.

"I'm just... so _tired_ ," she breathed, her muscles beginning to constrict in her belly again.

"You've been tired before, and you've done _this_ before. You can do it again, Kagome. I believe in you," Inuyasha reassured, kissing the side of her head.

"You're almost there," Sango added. "Just a little more, and you can finally hold your sweet baby." She rested a comforting hand atop her friend's, and Kagome felt reinvigorated, ready to give it her all one more time.

"It's nearly over, child. Bear down again with all of your might this time," Kaede directed, cloth abandoned and hands poised to catch the release.

Kagome nodded and leaned forward, taking Inuyasha's outstretched hand in hers and pushed with every ounce of her remaining strength. A pained shout escaped her grit teeth as the intense burning sensation in her nether region magnified, steadily building with the downward force. She panted desperately as the pressure momentarily subsided and the fire between her thighs ceased, faintly recognizing the familiar relief as that of the infant's head ejecting from her body.

"Again, Kagome," Kaede demanded.

"One more push, Kagome, and you'll have your baby," Sango said as she draped a warm blanket over her arms, preparing for the newborn that would soon fill them.

"Give it all you've got," Inuyasha urged. "He's almost here."

With a crushing grip to her husband's hand, Kagome let out a guttural scream and pushed so hard she felt as though her insides may fall out. The pain reached an all-time high, and then it was suddenly gone, leaving a mere throbbing ache in its wake that paled in comparison. The sound of fluids pouring into the basin at her feet echoed off the walls of the small room. A brief silence followed, and then he cried. For the first time, Kagome and Inuyasha heard the gurgled wails of their baby as Kaede handed him off to Sango who wiped his eyes, mouth, and nose clean before placing him into the eager arms of his mother.

"Congratulations," Kaede said, smiling, "you have a son." The couple seemed to be in a universe all their own as they stared in awe at the new life they'd created, having already known their child's sex thanks to Inuyasha's keen senses.

"Hello, my beautiful boy," Kagome sniffled, hot tears rolling down her cheeks. "We've waited _so_ long to meet you." The infant in her arms continued to screech, seemingly having just discovered his lungs, but he quickly calmed as Kagome brought him flush to the warm flesh of her chest.

Inuyasha reached around his wife's shoulder to stroke the ebony tuft of silken hair atop his newborn son's head. Tears threatened to leak from his own eyes, but he chose not to fight them as he spoke to his son for the first time. "Hey, pup. I'm your old man," he choked, the joy of finally having a son overcoming him. Kagome leaned her head back onto her husband's shoulder and looked up at him lovingly. Inuyasha met her watery gaze and said, "I love you so much, and I'm so proud of you. He's perfect." He crushed his lips against hers then, willing every ounce of love and adoration he felt for her to flow through him and into her, because words simply couldn't describe how he felt in that moment.

"Ten fingers, ten toes, and healthy to boot," Sango added, leaning forward to get a better look at the newborn's soft pink skin and swollen face.

"Aye, and judging by his size, I'd say he weighs just over one kan. Much larger than his elder sister," Kaede continued. "Ye did exceptionally well, Kagome, to bring such a large babe into this world with ease. Take pride in that, child."

"Thank you all so much," Kagome wept. "I couldn't have done it without all of you, you especially." She fixed her husband with a particularly grateful gaze, and he kissed her once more before resting his forehead tenderly against hers.

Another wail from their infant son warranted his parents' attention, and Kagome responded by brushing aside the V of her yukata to bare her left breast, already leaking precious milk at the sound of the baby's cries. Once properly positioned, the newborn latched onto his mother's nipple instantly and suckled those first crucial drops greedily. Inuyasha watched in amazement once more, the incredible ability of the female body - _his_ female's body - never ceasing to astonish him.

"The afterbirth will be along soon, then we'll tie off the cord. We'll get you all settled afterward and leave you be to bond with your son," Sango informed, knowing her words fell on deaf ears as the couple were completely engulfed in watching their son nurse contentedly. Fortunately for her, they were experienced and well aware of what to expect in the coming hours and days.

Moments later, the afterbirth dislodged itself from Kagome's womb, and Kaede cut the infant's umbilical cord while Sango disposed of the flesh and fluid filled basin. Inuyasha set to running a warm bath for his wife, and Kaede began preparing a hot stew as dinner time had long since passed. Sango promptly returned, and Kagome hesitantly relinquished the baby to her dear friend after he'd finished feeding so she could give him a bath of his own.

Inuyasha tediously helped a very sore Kagome into the tub, lingering to help her cleanse herself. Refreshed and rejuvenated after, Kagome dressed in a loose-fitting kimono and allowed her husband to help her pull on a pair of cotton underwear with much needed sanitary pads inside, courtesy of her own time. At this point, the pains of birth had subsided so much so that Kagome was finally able to feel the hunger pangs in her stomach, and the stew Kaede had made smelled absolutely divine. Kagome ravaged a first and second helping of said stew as well as a few cups of hot tea before finding her way to the east wing where Sango had swaddled her newborn son and laid him to rest in his woven bassinet in she and Inuyasha's quarters.

"Congratulations again, you two," Sango beamed. "Kaede and I will clean up, and I'll see to it that she makes it home safely. As for Aimi and Shippo, they shall stay at my hut for the night. Both of you get some rest, and I'll stop by tomorrow to check in and bring Aimi home."

Kagome thanked her friend with a warm embrace, and Inuyasha offered his gratitude with a gentle squeeze to her arm. Sango disappeared into the hall then, closing the shoji screen behind her. Inuyasha ushered Kagome into bed before moving the bassinet closer to his wife's side. Kagome reached in eagerly and cradled the infant close to her chest, smiling down at her work as Inuyasha crawled into the bed beside her.

Under the warm glow of the candle burning in the corner, the newborn blinked his eyes several times and cautiously opened them to see his parents' faces anew. A choked sob hitched in Kagome's chest as she met those tiny golden orbs with her own. He truly was perfect and was the epitome of everything she and Inuyasha had hoped for.

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

 **Key:**

• hitatare - Japanese term for Inuyasha's fire rat robe

• yukata - Japanese term for knee-length robe worm by women as casual, everyday clothing

• kimono - Japanese term for formal clothing much like a robe with long, loose sleeves and tied at the waist with a sash, typically made from silk

• kan - Japanese term for a measurement of weight, equivalent to just over 8 pounds


	4. Chapter 4

Throughout the night, Inuyasha found himself awake every two hours with Kagome as she nursed their newborn son. He just couldn't stop himself from staring at his youngest child, astonished at how much he resembled Aimi. He smelled like her, too: unique yet tinged with Kagome's pleasant aroma and a faintly familiar musk. His own scent maybe? He smirked proudly at the realization, ego swelling tenfold.

"What's got you looking so high and mighty?" Kagome asked, smiling over at him beneath the pink hue of the morning light beaming through the shoji screens. She lay on her side facing him with an elbow propped beneath her head, their infant son pressed between them as he quietly nursed again. Inuyasha watched the baby's tiny fingers flex against the flesh of Kagome's breast and couldn't resist the urge to touch them, the babe's minuscule appendages instinctively gripping onto his own.

"It's nothing," Inuyasha replied, stroking the soft skin on the back of his son's hand with the pad of his thumb.

Kagome giggled then. "It's not _nothing_. I know that look. You're pretty proud of yourself, aren't you?" Inuyasha chuckled at that, grateful for the cover of the dim lighting to hide the flush in his cheeks. She knew him so well. "I can't say that I blame you much. We do make beautiful babies."

Inuyasha's golden eyes met hers, and he took a moment to regard her breathtaking beauty. Her long, silken tresses fell to her shoulders like an ebony waterfall, her skin seemingly aglow with the light of new motherhood. Her plump, pink lips stretched across her perfect, pearly white teeth in an earnest grin, and her pristine midnight lashes fanned across the apples of her cheeks each time she blinked. God, was she ever stunning. Heat barreled straight to Inuyasha's groin as impure thoughts of his wife sprung to mind, and he quickly buried them, knowing he had to restrain himself for some time yet. "Ya got that right," he finally responded, his gaze never wavering from his mate's.

"As handsome as he is," Kagome continued, "he still needs a name."

It suddenly occurred to the half-demon that he and his wife had yet to even discuss their son's name. _How the hell could we forget to pick a friggin' name for the boy? That's like the most important part of having a kid, right? Where do we even start -?_

"I think you should choose a name for him, Inuyasha," Kagome said, interrupting his thoughts. "I mean, I didn't give you much say in naming Aimi, so it only seems fair, don't you think?" It was true. When she was pregnant with their daughter, she shook poor Inuyasha awake in the middle of the night with quite a start only to tell him between joyous sobs that their baby's name had come to her in a dream. He vaguely recalled her mentioning it meaning "beautiful love" or "affection" or something mushy like that, and that was it: the girl had a name.

Inuyasha nodded curtly then, hesitantly accepting the only slightly overwhelming challenge. _She wants_ ** _me_ **_to do it? How can she possibly trust **me** enough to give something as important as a name to a whole other person? _

Sensing his growing fear, Kagome assured, "Inuyasha, you're his father. You should be honored to name your first son. Take your time, and choose wisely." She rested a comforting hand on his arm, giving it a gentle squeeze for good measure. "I know you'll pick a great name for him. I have faith in you."

Her encouragement was all he needed, and he vowed then and there that his son would have a name but not just any name - the _best_ name - come dusk.

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

The previous night's storm had finally settled, sweeping over the hills and disappearing high up into the mountains. In its wake, branches and leaves littered the ground, some even lying atop the roofs of neighboring huts, and muddy puddles dotted the dirt paths throughout the village. The rice paddies that lined the center of the village bulged at their banks with the sudden influx of water, lapping at the roads' edges.

Inuyasha stepped out back of the hut to canvas the area, the sodden ground squelching beneath his bare feet. Aside from some scattered debris, all seemed to be in order. The chickens were safely huddled in their coop, the workshop was still standing, and the garden seemed nothing more than a bit wet. Satisfied knowing that his home and his family were safe, Inuyasha returned to the hut and began preparing a hot breakfast for his wife.

Having recognized the delectable scent emanating from the kitchen, Kagome huddled the baby close to her chest inside her kimono and joined her husband at the fire pit. "The hell are you doing outta bed?" Inuyasha asked incredulously, glaring in bewilderment at his wife and the infant she toted.

"I just gave birth, Inuyasha. I'm not an invalid," Kagome huffed, wincing slightly as she crouched down to the table. She had to admit that she was _very_ sore between her legs, but otherwise, she felt fine. Great, actually, as she was finally able to take a deep breath for the first time in months.

Inuyasha sighed, lacking the energy to argue his wife all the way back to bed and knowing full and well that she'd just get up again. It was so like Kagome to spring right back from something as strenuous as childbirth. She couldn't bear to sit still for long, her mind and body just itching to return to work. Inuyasha inwardly rolled his eyes, well aware that he'd often find himself physically restraining his wife throughout her recovery. _Here we go again,_ he thought as he set the table, portioning rice and miso soup for both of them.

"I hope Sango brings Aimi soon. I miss her," Kagome said over her meal, grimacing down into the bowl as she pushed rice around aimlessly with her chopsticks. Suddenly, she wasn't hungry anymore and felt an overwhelming need to crawl back into bed with both of her babies to snuggle them forever. _These_ _friggin' hormones,_ she cursed internally, wiping a stray tear from her eye.

Inuyasha took notice of her immediate shift in emotion and finished sipping his soup. "Quit yer cryin', Kagome. I'll go get her after breakfast," he sneered. "I'm sure she misses you, too." He spoke his final words just under his breath, averting his gaze in hopes that his wife wouldn't look _too_ much into his gesture of kindness.

Kagome smiled brightly and reached across the table to cup her husband's cheek in her free hand, clutching her son close in the other. _Too late._ "Thank you, Inuyasha," she said, eyes still watery. "I love you, you know, and I really do appreciate every little thing you do for me and our children."

Inuyasha swallowed his tea hard, still a bit unaccustomed to Kagome's blatant displays of affection even after five years of marriage. "I, um... love you, too," he added, gingerly leaning into the warmth of his mate's palm. After a beat, Inuyasha ducked his flushed face and gathered his dishes as he stood from the table. "I'm off to get Aimi. You stay here and rest. I won't be long." The half-demon deposited his wares into the nearby washing basin, placed a soft kiss atop his wife's head, and disappeared beyond the flapping reed mat hanging over the hut entrance.

Miroku and Sango's hut wasn't far, just across the checkerboard of rice paddies and down a ways, but Inuyasha relished the moment of peace, taking the time to ponder his newborn son's name. He walked slowly, his feet leaving prints in the wet path as he interlocked his fingers behind his head. _Just let it come to you_ , he told himself. _You'll know when you know._ Unfortunately, knowing wasn't enough. He needed some semblance of an idea before he could really _know_ what name to ultimately give his son.

He glanced around him then, taking in his surroundings for inspiration. _Sky, trees, leaves, water, Gurē..._ _wait, Gurē?_ Inuyasha's steady stride paused briefly as he noticed the new companion at his feet, the family's pet cat. "Where've you been all this time?" he asked aloud, continuing forward with his feline friend in tow. Gurē answered with a gentle mew, forging ahead of his master. Inuyasha vaguely recalled the cat following Aimi to her room to play yesterday morning, so he decided then that he must've taken up residence there to avoid not only the rain but the chaos of the birth, too.

 _Gurē, hmm... Nah, Kagome'd kill me if I gave our kid a name as simple as that._ He sighed heavily, fully aware that the Japanese translation for gray wasn't exactly original, but it worked for the cat, no less.

 _Damn, this is harder than I thought it'd be. Why'd Kagome have to give me so much responsibility? I did my part already. He's here, ain't he?_ Inuyasha chuckled at his inner dialogue, recalling the night of their anniversary on which their son had been conceived some months ago. Kagome had been dropping subtle hints to her husband for a while in regards to growing their family, and it so happened that the day marking yet another year of their marriage corresponded with her time of peak fertility...

Inuyasha could smell it on her that night, knew that her body was prepared to receive and plant his seed, and he didn't hesitate when she began undressing him by the fire shortly after Aimi had been tucked into bed. Because secretly, he wanted another child as much as she did.

It came as no shock to him when Kagome announced her pregnancy, but he nearly burst from his own skin with excitement when he caught the first whiff of male pheromones intermixing with his wife's. He'd never admit that to Kagome, though. Children were a natural part of human life, and Inuyasha didn't want to seem _too_ joyous about having them. But deep down, he was. He so, _so_ was. He loved Aimi more than he ever thought he could possibly love another being, and his son's birth just made his heart swell with adoration even more. His family was finally complete, and he truly couldn't have been happier.

"Papa, papa!" Inuyasha's ears perked up at the abrupt calling of his young daughter.

"Hey, kid," he greeted as she jumped into his outstretched arms, hugging him as tightly as her little arms would allow.

"How's Mama? Is she okay? What about the baby? What does he look like?" Aimi interrogated.

Before he could answer, Sango burst from her hut a few yards away, breathless. "Aimi! _Aimi!_ " she shouted as her head swiveled around to find the pair just up the path. "Oh, Inuyasha," she sighed in relief. "I was just about to walk her home. What's brought you here for her? Is everything alright?" Sango quickly bridged the gap between herself and the half-demon, brow furrowed in worry.

Inuyasha nodded as he shifted Aimi onto his shoulders. She giggled happily and tugged at her father's sensitive, furry ears. "Everything's fine. Kagome misses her is all."

"Ah," Sango smiled in understanding. "I know that feeling all too well." She paused momentarily to give Aimi's cheek a playful squeeze and to place a warm pat on Inuyasha's arm. "Miroku and I will be along with the children in a few days. In the meantime, be sure that you and Kagome get plenty of rest, alright?"

"Will do, Sango. And thanks again for taking such good care of Aimi for us," he replied appreciatively.

"Yeah, thanks for letting me stay over Oba Sango! See ya later!" With an exaggerated wave of the child's hand, Inuyasha and Aimi set out for home, the half-demon having completely forgotten that he'd yet to select a name for his son.

The sun's position in the sky signaled the noon hour, and time was steadily dwindling on Inuyasha's self-made deadline. His son needed a name and _soon._

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

 **Key:**

• kimono - Japanese term for formal clothing much like a robe with long, loose sleeves and tied at the waist with a sash, typically made from silk

• Gurē - Japanese term for gray/grey

• Oba - Japanese term for affectionately referring to one's own aunt


	5. Chapter 5

Aimi hummed happily, kicking her feet back and forth under Inuyasha's arms. Inuyasha kept his arms tucked in either sleeve, occasionally reaching out to tickle the bottoms of his daughter's feet when she tugged on his ears. Gurē slunk alongside them still, the trio keeping a steady pace as they were homeward bound.

"Papa," Aimi spoke suddenly, breaking the comfortable silence, "how come you have ears like Gurē?" The child rubbed the fuzzy appendages atop her father's head and leaned forward to make her best attempt at eye contact with him as she awaited a response.

Inuyasha growled lowly, scoffing down at the feline by his side. "I ain't got ears like no cat, kid. They're _dog_ ears, and I got 'em 'cause I'm half demon."

"Hmm..." Aimi righted herself then, her features puzzled as she pointedly tapped a small finger against her chin and stared up at the sky. "Does my baby brother have ears like you, Papa, or does he have ears like mine and Mama's? And how come I don't have furry dog ears, too?" Suprisingly, she was unperturbed by her father being any part demon.

Inuyasha cleared his throat and stared at the damp ground beneath his feet, searching for the appropriate answer. He knew his children would someday question their drastic differences in appearance, but he hoped they'd direct their curiosity toward Kagome. She always seemed to know what to say, especially to children.

"No, you and yer brother ain't got ears like mine on account of the fact that... _ahem_ , well..." Inuyasha began, carefully selecting his next words. "Ya see, yer mama's just human, 'cause that's what Baba Higurashi is. My mother, Baba Izayoi, was human, too, but my father, was a, uh... a full-blooded demon. That made yer old man a half-demon. Half-demon plus human equals only one-quarter demon, so you and yer brother are mostly human. That's why the two of you look so much like yer mama." _And thank God for that_ , Inuyasha thought. He never, ever wanted his children to suffer through the pain and humiliation he had as a child.

"Oh," Aimi replied after a moment of contemplation. "So you're half-demon... Is that how come you always find me when we play hide and seek?" Her little face flushed with anger then, and she crossed her arms over her chest just like her papa would.

"The nose knows, pup," Inuyasha laughed. "The ears, too. Even if I can't hear ya, I can still sniff ya out anywhere anytime." He slumped her off his shoulders in one swift motion, tickling her sides relentlessly as she squirmed in his arms.

"That's... no... fair!" Aimi shouted between exasperated giggles.

"Hmph, life ain't fair, kid," Inuyasha said as he set his daughter on her feet. "But you'll learn to deal with it."

Aimi bolted for the hut then as it was merely feet away now, ignoring her father's bit of wisdom. He smiled fondly, watching her push the reed mat aside and disappear into their home. He was incredibly grateful that his children would never have to cope with the nuisance of heightened senses or having to wage war with a side of themselves that was nearly uncontrollable and thirsted for blood. They'd be a bit stronger than the average human - run faster and lift more weight - but they would never hate who they were like he once had. He'd make sure of that.

Inside the hut, Inuyasha followed the sound of Kagome and Aimi's soft voices into the den where his wife and daughter gently swayed to and fro together with his newborn son in the rocking chair. He lingered at the entrance for a moment, content just watching the loves of his life in silence. Kagome gingerly unswaddled the baby to allow his big sister a better view of his tiny fingers and toes. Aimi's eyes grew wide with awe at seeing her sibling in full for the first time. "He looks like one of my dolls," she said, referring to the many toys Baba Higurashi had gifted her.

"That he does," Kagome chuckled. "He's much more fragile, though."

"Can I hold him, Mama?"

"Of course," Kagome responded instantly. She slowly switched positions with Aimi and delicately placed the infant into her arms.

"Wow, he's _heavy_ ," Aimi commented, warranting laughter from both of her parents.

"He's a growin' boy," Inuyasha said as he joined his wife, snaking an arm around her waist and pulling her close. "Someday, he'll be as big as you are. Maybe even bigger." Kagome beamed up at her husband, overcome with joy at finally having her family all together.

The couple couldn't take their eyes off of their children, witnessing the absolute definition of perfection before them. Their four-year-old was completely enamored with her newborn brother, and it warmed her parents' hearts deeply. "He really is beautiful just like Mama said," Aimi added as she rubbed the baby's small fingers between her own and gingerly stroked his raven hair. "Don't you think so, Papa?"

Inuyasha only nodded, his eyes meeting their carbon copy when his daughter looked up at him, and in that moment, he knew. _Beautiful. Love. Affection._ He knew. He _finally_ knew what he would name his son.

 **=xxxxxxxxx=**

"A shichiya? Tomorrow? Don't you think it's a bit early for that?" Kagome questioned her husband over dinner, puzzled by his sudden desire to have a formal naming ceremony for their son so immediately.

"Aye," Kaede nodded in agreement, peeling away another layer of the flaky grilled fish fillet with her chopsticks. She and Shippo were visiting and had stayed to help Inuyasha prepare the evening's catch. "It is tradition to hold the shichiya on the seventh day after the infant's birth, Inuyasha."

Inuyasha huffed. "In case ya haven't noticed, old woman, I ain't exactly _traditional_." Kagome shot her husband a cold glare, silently scolding him for his insult. Aimi and Shippo continued chewing their food merrily, and Gurē gnawed on fish bones at their feet, none too interested in the conversation amongst the adults.

Kaede sighed heavily, momentarily closing her weary eyes as she placed her chopsticks on the table. She had known Inuyasha for nearly sixty years. She knew all too well that he wasn't one to adhere to the customs of Japanese culture, nor would he allow her to bar him from taking matters into his own hands. "Very well," she began, opening her eyes once more. "Kagome, would ye agree to performing the shichiya with such haste?"

Brows furrowed, Kagome glanced down at the sleeping babe tucked safely into her kimono. "Well, I _did_ ask Inuyasha to choose a name for him, and Aimi was named long before she was ever born... We seem to break quite a few traditions around here anyway, so why not?" Kagome shrugged, smiling at her husband.

"It's settled then. I'll send Shippo and Sango to gather the villagers and summon Miroku for the blessing. The ceremony will commence on the steps of the shrine at midday tomorrow, and as head priestess, I will announce the child's name. Do ye agree?" Kaede addressed the couple then.

"Of course we do!" Inuyasha answered for them both.

"Be prepared, Inuyasha," Kaede instructed with a pointed nod. "I'll need his name the moment ye and Kagome hand him to me at the ceremony."

Inuyasha simply nodded in response, his son's chosen name threatening to escape his lips in an instant. He was excited and nervous at the same time to reveal his child's title, but he also wanted it to be a complete surprise, meaning he couldn't even tell Kagome. Inuyasha growled lowly then. _This is gonna be a hell of a long night._

After dinner, Shippo and Kaede made off to the priestess's hut, and Kagome readied Aimi for bed, placing their son in his father's arms for what Inuyasha realized was the very first time. "Could you rock him to sleep, Inuyasha?" she asked, gently kissing her husband's cheek before whisking off with Aimi down the hall.

For a moment, Inuyasha was frozen, his limbs trying to reacquaint themselves with the sensation of cradling a newborn again. It had been so long since Aimi was this small, but suddenly, it all came flooding back to him, his bent elbow shifting instinctively beneath his son's head for support. Smiling down at the swaddled infant, Inuyasha said, "Yer mama says I gotta rock you in that... _thing_ ya like so much. We'll see how it goes, eh?" He turned on his heel then and headed for the room he and his wife shared.

Earlier that day, Kagome requested that Inuyasha move the rocking chair to their room so that she wouldn't have far to travel at feeding times given her fervent soreness. Of course, Inuyasha complied and relocated the furniture with ease. It now filled a previously empty corner of their room, mere feet from the bed for Kagome's convenience.

Inuyasha slipped past the shoji screen and approached the rocking chair with caution. Sure, he'd built it, but that didn't mean he knew how to use the damn thing. "Alright, pup," he said to his son. "Let's give it a go." Inuyasha poised himself over the seat of the chair, lowering his body agonizingly slow until he'd reached a solid surface. His tense muscles relaxed then, but he quickly jolted forward as the chair swayed back, the baby in his arms stirring in response.

Fearfully, Inuyasha watched as the newborn's chin puckered and his lower lip quivered, preparing to loose a wail in mere seconds. " _Shh, shh._ It's alright, kid. I got this... I think." Gently, Inuyasha settled into the chair and used the balls of his bare feet to maintain the delicate rocking rhythm his son so enjoyed.

The baby blinked up at his father in lazy succession, matching eyes meeting. "Hey, this ain't so bad. I can see why ya like it," Inuyasha spoke to the babe, stroking his silken ebony hair with a clawed finger. "Yer finally gettin' a name tomorrow, ya know, and lemme tell ya, it was gettin' to be a pretty tough decision for yer old man to make. But then it just came to me... I took one look at yer sister holding you like this, and it came to me."

Recognizing the sound of his father's voice, the infant's lips curled into a small smile. His tiny eyes grew wide as he stared up at the man he'd heard but never really seen. "She's right, too. Ya really are as beautiful as yer mama says." Inuyasha's eyes began to fill with hot tears, but he wiped them away with his free hand. "I may not always say it or show it very well, but I do love ya, kid. I really do. I'm proud to be yer father, and I hope you're just as proud to carry the name I picked for ya."

The pair rocked in comfortable silence for a while, eyelids growing heavy with sleep beneath the flickering flames of of the candles in the room, and soon enough, they were slumbering peacefully in the chair. Not even Kagome's entrance disturbed them.

Leaving the shoji screen ajar, Kagome padded over to the bed. She crouched down on the mat and simply watched her husband and son quietly snooze. All doubts she'd previously harbored about Inuyasha having a son dissipated in that very moment. Guilt and shame consumed her momentarily for casting such negative presumptions upon her mate. She should have known. She should have known that having a son wouldn't change the way that Inuyasha parented or how he felt about either of his children, because at heart, he was truly a good man.

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

 **Key:**

• Gurē - Japanese term for gray/grey

• Baba - Japanese term for affectionately referring to one's own grandmother

• shichiya - Japanese term for a newborn's traditional naming ceremony

• kimono - Japanese term for formal clothing much like a robe with long, loose sleeves and tied at the waist with a sash, typically made from silk


	6. Chapter 6

Leaning against the door jamb with his son in his arms, Inuyasha watched as Kagome crouched at her vanity mirror and deftly applied rouge to her supple cheeks. Kagome smiled at her husband's smug reflection as she reached for a comb. "I'm almost ready, Inuyasha," she said, her fingers following her comb through her ebony locks.

Inuyasha huffed and rolled his eyes. "Ya said the same thing an hour ago! At this rate, our poor kid's never gonna have a name!" Kagome chuckled at his outburst and continued with her routine. "Ya don't need all that gunk on yer face anyway. Yer gorgeous just like ya are." Inuyasha blushed at his own compliment, and Kagome grinned appreciatively, quite flattered to say the least.

Inuyasha truly meant what he said, too. He loved the sweet decadence of her bare skin and her fragrant essence, but he couldn't deny that he really admired the way the rouge accentuated her natural pink hue and how the charcoal mixture on her raven lashes made her coffee-colored eyes seem as large as the moon. He just didn't care for how long it took her to put it on is all.

Aimi nearly collided with her father as she ran down the hall to her parents' room, shouting, "Oba Sango and Oji Miroku are here!" Shippo followed close behind, hopping onto the little girl's shoulder seconds later.

"C'mon, you guys! The ceremony's gonna start soon!" Shippo urged.

"Alright, alright. Let's get going," Kagome replied, lifting herself from her vanity and smoothing the skirt of her traditional kimono. She took the sleeping babe from Inuyasha's arms as she ushered her daughter and the fox tyke back down the hall. "We don't wanna be late."

The family joined their friends outside and began the short trek to the steps of the shrine where the village's entire population waited. They could see Kaede's head peeking over the top of the crowd, her eyes watching them carefully as they approached. Clearly, the elder priestess was none too excited about this blessed event as it clashed with her precious traditions.

"Are you nervous?" Kagome whispered to her husband as she shifted her infant son to her opposing arm.

Scoffing, Inuyasha shoved his hands deeper into the sleeves of his hitatare and turned up his nose. "Of course not," he blatantly lied. "And _you_ shouldn't be, either, since _you_ made me do it."

"I didn't _make_ you do it, Inuyasha," Kagome laughed. "I would've accepted no as an answer, and we could have done it together instead." Inuyasha's eyes grew wide then, staring at his wife with a mixture of fear and bewilderment. _Why the hell is she telling me this now?!_ "Don't worry, Inuyasha. I trust you," she assured. Tucking his chin to his chest, the half-demon's face flushed almost instantly. He was incredibly grateful - yet embarrassingly so - that his wife had so much confidence in him, and with those three words she uttered, all trepidation he felt about naming his son vanished.

As they arrived at the shrine steps, Sango and Miroku gave their friends warm hugs before taking their places in the front row with their children and Shippo in tow. Aimi tugged lightly on one leg of her father's hakama then, beaming up at him when he focused his attention on her. "Good luck, Papa," she said as the family broached the steps.

Inuyasha grinned down at his daughter, pointed fangs on display. "Thanks, kid," he replied, stroking her soft hair once. Aimi rounded her papa to stand at her mama's side as Kagome gleefully faced her husband to give him their son. Smiling softly at his family, Inuyasha strode up the steps toward Kaede as Kagome and Aimi followed hand in hand.

Positioning themselves on either side of the old priestess, Inuyasha and Kagome looked out at all of the faces before them. Kagome and Aimi waved happily to the villagers, and the throng of people cheered in response given Kagome's rather elite status as a priestess herself. This was quite a momentous occasion, and even though Inuyasha was able to steel himself before, he suddenly remembered why he hadn't rushed Aimi's shichiya years ago: he had an awful bout of stage fright. _The old hag better make this quick_ , he thought, anxious sweat beginning to trail down his spine.

"Villagers," Kaede began, the roar of the crowd subsiding. "On behalf of myself and the family, thank ye all for being here today. As ye well know, Priestess Kagome and her husband Inuyasha joyfully welcomed a son some days ago." Applause ensued then, and Kagome and Inuyasha exchanged humble glances. "And today, we have gathered here to celebrate the creation of a new life and to bestow upon him a name, but before we do so, the monk Miroku shall place a blessing upon this child."

Silently, Miroku emerged from the gathering of people and climbed the steps. He nodded courteously to Inuyasha as he unswaddled the infant and handed him to the monk, clad only in a cloth diaper. Cradling the baby on one arm, Miroku closed his eyes and brought two fingers to his own mouth as he clutched his prayer beads. "May this child be a beacon of purity and light. May he be endowed with great health and longevity, and may he find happiness and good fortune in all his days. With the power and grace bequeathed to me, I bless this child henceforth."

Miroku opened his eyes then and smiled down at the still slumbering babe before placing him back into the waiting arms of his father. The monk bowed toward the family and the villagers to which all reciprocated and proceeded down the steps to rejoin his wife and children.

"And now," Kaede continued, "this blessed child shall receive his title." Turning toward Inuyasha, the elderly woman outstretched her hands, and the half-demon moved closer. He saw the excitement and adoration in Kagome's eyes as he leaned down to exchange the infant and whisper his name to the old priestess. Kaede nodded in understanding and thrust the newborn out before her for all to see, his head in one hand and his bottom in the other. "It is with great honor that I present to ye, Haato, the foremost son of Kagome-sama and Inuyasha-san."

As the crowd exploded with applause and cheers, Kagome released the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and burst into sobs of joy. She squeezed her daughter's hand instinctively and absolutely beamed at her husband. Inuyasha smiled, too, thoroughly pleased that his wife approved of their son's name. _Haato,_ Inuyasha repeated to himself proudly. _Our beautiful little Haato._

 **=xxxxxxxxx=**

The shichiya had long since ended, but Kagome still found herself weeping with happiness fueled by her still imbalanced hormones. "Haato," she continued saying, relishing the way the name rolled off her tongue as she stared down at her perfect son. "It's so _wonderful_ ," she cried, leaning into Inuyasha's embrace.

"You can stop cryin' now, ya know?" Inuyasha said, uncomfortable. He knew her tears were that of joy, but still, watching her cry at all terribly agitated him. Not to mention that Sango and Miroku were sitting right in front of them.

Sango nodded toward her half-demon friend, eyes glistening with tears of her own. "You did well, Inuyasha. It's a great name that you've chosen for your son."

"Thanks," he replied curtly, forever unsettled by compliments. "Uh, and thanks again, Miroku, for the, uh... blessing, or whatever." He scratched the back of his neck and smiled awkwardly at the monk.

"It's my pleasure and my duty, Inuyasha," Miroku replied, humbly bowing his head.

The sound of the children laughing as they ran by the exit of Inuyasha and Kagome's hut momentarily interrupted the conversation, but Sango quickly continued by clearing her throat and asking, "Kagome, may I... hold him?"

"Of course," the new mother responded, leaning forward from her seat to place the babe in his oba's outstretched arms. Kagome sat back on her haunches and wiped her tears with the backs of her hands, smiling at her husband as he gently squeezed her hip.

Cuddling her only oi close, Sango gently stroked the tuft of hair atop Haato's head. "Oh, how I miss when our children were this small," the demon slayer spoke to her husband.

Miroku narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't go getting any ideas," he chided. "Three is plenty." He sighed tiredly then.

"What happened to having ten or even twenty?" Sango retorted, glaring back at him.

Inuyasha snorted at the couple's quarrel. "S'not like you could do much, anyway, Miroku. Ya can't keep yer lecherous hands to yerself." Kagome and Sango giggled at the monk's immediate flush.

"On a more serious note," Kagome said as the laughter died, changing the subject, "Inuyasha and I have a proposition for you both." Inuyasha stared at his wife with a quizzical expression, unaware of any propositions having been discussed between them prior to this moment. "Even if the two of you choose to add to your own family in the future, would you also agree to taking care of Haato should anything happen to either of us?"

Inuyasha fixed his friends with a hopeful gaze then. He'd known that he and Kagome would ask Sango and Miroku this question soon enough. They had when Aimi was born, after all. Inuyasha couldn't even begin to fathom the very thought of Kagome's life being cut short, at least not while he was around, and even more so, his children being left alone to navigate life without them. He wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of relying on someone else - albeit, they were his closest friends - taking responsibility of his family, either, but he also knew that this was a necessary precaution.

Not a day went by that Inuyasha didn't dwell on Kagome's mortality. Sure, she was less of a risk-taker - or not quite as stupid - than he and therefore, likely to live longer, but she was also more susceptible to fatality from even a minor disease or injury. Granted, modern medicine was only a well jump away, but that still didn't guarantee her life. That's why he protected her so relentlessly. Despite what Kagome liked to believe, she was fragile, and even though he had enough strength and willpower for them both, he wasn't exactly invincible.

Sango and Miroku exchanged a long stare, wordlessly discussing their decision amongst themselves. Fearing their silence meant rejection, Inuyasha blurted, "We don't want Aimi and Haato to be separated." He glanced back at his wife, and she offered a small, encouraging smile. Sango and Miroku looked to listen. "If Kagome and I were to somehow die, we wouldn't want our pups to be without each other. Same as yers. We agreed to take in all three if somethin' were to happen to you two, and we'd hoped ya'd do the same fer ours."

"Losing a parent is hard enough," Kagome added, recalling her own father's death during her childhood. The great void that Inuyasha felt in his life seeing his beloved mother perish wasn't lost on her either. "They shouldn't have to lose their whole family, too."

Miroku nodded in understanding and spoke on behalf of himself and his wife. "We cherish Aimi as though she were our own flesh and blood, and we will grow to admire Haato just as much in time. We know, too, that you would love and care for our children in the same manner should tragedy befall us, which is why we will gladly take both Aimi and Haato into our home and our family if need be."

"Thank you," Inuyasha replied, eternally grateful for the kindness of such wonderful humans.

"Again," Sango chimed in, shooting a gleeful look toward her husband, "it's our honor and our duty." She and Kagome embraced over the baby in her arms, courteous nods exchanging between Inuyasha and Miroku as the children suddenly stormed in to dote upon the newest member of their extended family.

The twins 'oohed' and 'awed' just like they did when they met their own baby brother for the first time, and Sango and Miroku's toddler son squealed with elation about having another little boy to play with in the village. "He's still very small, dear, but someday, he'll be big enough to play in the river with you, to go fishing and skip rocks," Sango said to her youngest.

The boy fixed his mother then his oba with a puzzled stare. "How long will that be, Oba Kagome?" he asked, blinking his violet eyes.

Kagome smiled down at her oi, cupping his chin in her hand and replied, "It won't be long, love. Before you know it, you'll all be grown up and making even more memories together."

Sango grinned fondly at her friend. "And then you'll fall in love," she added, turning to her husband.

"Then if you so desire, you'll marry the person that holds your heart and start a family of your own," Miroku continued.

"And you'll be happier than ya ever thought possible," Inuyasha finished. Everyone stared at him then, his wife and friends positively beaming and the children listening with blank stares. "Ya may not understand it now, kid, but when us grown-ups are old as dirt, you'll be glad ya got all yer friends by yer side."

Kagome's eyes welled with tears, ever in awe of her half-demon's ability to impart such poignant wisdom at times like these. She settled back beside him and snuggled into his warm body, his arm instinctively wrapping around her. "Life's a real journey," he resumed, "It takes a lotta hard work to get through it, and ya need good people with ya. But life ain't all about work neither. Ya can't forget to take time to play, too." Inuyasha's hand slipped down to Kagome's ass, and she squeaked in surprise at the sudden pinch, warranting laughter from everyone.

Kagome blushed at her husband's crude display of affection in front of their friends and children. But despite her embarrassment, she had to admit that Inuyasha was right. She wouldn't tell him so what with all the gloating and such, but still, he was. Life _is_ a journey, and she was forever grateful to have these people - to have her _person_ \- to traverse it with.

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

 **Key:**

• Oba - Japanese term for affectionately referring to one's own aunt

• Oji - Japanese term for affectionately referring to one's own uncle

• kimono - Japanese term for formal clothing much like a robe with long, loose sleeves and tied at the waist with a sash, typically made from silk

• hitatare - Japanese term for Inuyasha's fire rate robe

• hakama - Japanese term for Inuyasha's pants

• shichiya - Japanese term for an infant's traditional naming ceremony

• -sama/-san - Japanese suffixes for affectionately referring to respected friends or family

• oi - Japanese term for affectionately referring to one's own nephew


	7. Chapter 7: Epilogue

**WARNING:** This chapter depicts graphic scenes of sex. Reader discretion is advised.

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

 **One Year Later**

Watching his chest rhythmically rise and fall in the early morning light, Kagome walked her pointer and middle fingers up her husband's arm. She'd been staring at him for what seemed like hours, and she was growing frustrated by how peaceful he looked. Not to mention how badly she wanted to rip off his hanjuban and touch every inch of his perfectly tanned skin.

Inuyasha stirred a bit and groaned sleepily as Kagome's fingertips finally reached the exposed V of his chest. She grinned devilishly, biting her lower lip as she delicately traced the divot between his pectoral muscles. She continued south, pushing the tie of his hanjuban aside. She outlined his abs and toyed with the soft silver hairs just below his navel, delighted by the shiver that wracked his body. Inuyasha's brows furrowed momentarily before he blinked his golden eyes open to fix his wife with a tired gaze.

"I'm on to you, woman," he yawned, fangs bared.

A devious giggle sounded from Kagome as she lurched forward and straddled the half-demon's hips, grinding her ass into the hardening cock between his legs. Inuyasha's eyes grew wide then, his mind and body suddenly fully awake and prepared for whatever she wanted to do to him. Dragging her nails along his chest, Kagome leaned down to nibble the lobe of his ear and whisper huskily, "Not if I'm on you first." And that was it. He was at her mercy.

Her lips trailed along his jaw to his mouth where she kissed him hungrily, biting and sucking on his lips and tongue. She tasted like the sweetest honey, and Inuyasha was absolutely addicted. He swallowed a whimper when Kagome pulled away, though they were both desperate for air, and stared in awe as she slipped her nagajuban from her shoulders. Her round, bare breasts bounced slightly upon release from her clothing, her dark brown nipples standing at attention. His fingers itched to touch them.

Cock fully engaged, Inuyasha bolted upright and clasped a clawed hand around his mate's neck. Kagome gasped, startled by his quickness and moaned at the slight pressure of his grasp. The half-demon brought his lips mere centimeters from hers, the low growl in his chest sending vibrations of pleasure straight to her dampening core. " _Who's on to who now?_ " he rasped, taking control.

Kagome, however, was persistent. In spite of his air over her, she reached between them to free his thick cock, tugging gently a few times on the sensitive member. Inuyasha froze, his hot breath momentarily hitching in his throat before unleashing in staccato pants across his wife's lips. " _Gotcha_ ," she muttered, positioning his cock at her slick entrance before sliding smoothly down onto it.

Moans of euphoria filled the room as Kagome relished in the fullness of her half-demon inside her. Inuyasha remained still, trying to stifle his overwhelming desire to come right then and there as her sweet heat enveloped him. Fisting the shoulders of his hanjuban in her hands, Kagome set a steady rhythm, riding her mate how she pleased, and Inuyasha allowed it, worshipping her jostling breasts as she went.

" _Yes... yes_..." Kagome uttered, slamming her hips down harder. Desperate for a quicker pace, Inuyasha planted a clawed hand on her hip to continue guiding her downward even further. Obeying, Kagome pounded her pelvis into his, her sensitive bundle of nerves finally making contact with flesh. She cried out at the friction and ground her hips into his to create more, longing to spring the coil building in her belly.

Slipping his hand from around Kagome's neck, Inuyasha slapped his open palm onto her bare ass. Kagome gasped and squealed with pleasure, shouting his name as a delightful jolt of electricity bolted through to her core. " _Say it again_ ," he commanded, growling low in his chest. The sensation nearly sent the woman over the edge, but she steeled herself, tangling her fingers in his silver mane. Inuyasha utilized the leverage to bring her lips closer to his and demand once more, " _Say it,_ " with another swift spanking.

" _Inu... yasha..._ " Kagome whispered, the up and down of her hips never ceasing. Growling again, the half-demon moved the hand on her hip between her legs, locating her clit with ease. He circled the delicate bud with the pad of his thumb, his breath catching once more as her hot sheath throbbed around him.

" _Like you mean it_ ," Inuyasha urged, nipping her lower lip and slapping her plump ass again.

" _Ah! Inuyasha, Inuyasha, Inuyasha!_ " Kagome chanted breathlessly. Inuyasha swallowed her cries, needing to taste more of the delicacy that was her mouth as he continued his assault on the nub at the apex of her thighs. " _Don't stop, Inuyasha! Oh, **yes**... Right there. Faster!_"

She rode him even harder then, like a horse sprinting through the forest, and Inuyasha followed suit, increasing the speed of his nimble fingers just how she'd told him to. Their hearts quickened, their breaths came fast, their skin dripped with sweat, and... there it was. The mountain's summit had finally been reached.

Inuyasha roared his release as Kagome convulsed around him, their names falling from each other's lips. The half-demon buried himself to the hilt inside his mate, filling her womb with every last drop of his seed though her body had no qualms about wringing him dry. Bodies blissfully sated, the two leaned on one another for support and attempted to catch their breaths.

"Never gets old, does it?" Inuyasha asked after a beat, grinning against the bare skin of Kagome's chest.

His wife giggled in response. "What? Sex? Of course not!"

Having become flaccid and since slipped free from her, blood rushed straight to Inuyasha's groin as he forced Kagome to her back on the mat beneath them. Her laughter continued, encouraged by the nose and lips nuzzling her neck. "Then let's do it again," Inuyasha replied, sitting back on his haunches then to rid himself of his hanjuban completely.

" _Mamaaa! Mamaaa!_ " Muffled cries suddenly sounded from the nursery.

Inuyasha sighed heavily, a sullen expression crossing his features. His previously occupied hands fell to his sides with the abandoned sleeves of his hanjuban. "Why's the kid gotta ruin all my fun?" he whined.

"Inu _yasha_!" Kagome scolded as she gathered her nagajuban around her leaking breasts and got to her feet. "He's still just a baby." Nonetheless, she was surprised Haato hadn't summoned her sooner. Judging by the beams of sunlight streaming through the shoji screens, his usual morning feeding time had passed some time ago.

"I'm just sayin'," Inuyasha added, pulling his own clothes back on. "Ain't it about time he's weaned anyway?"

"Soon, my love, soon," Kagome smiled, kissing her husband affectionately before padding out into the hall toward her son.

Haato's watery golden eyes and pin-straight black hair peeked over the railing of his wooden crib, his tiny hands clasped around the spindles. He sniffled quietly and reached up for his mama as she approached. "Good morning, my sweet boy," Kagome cooed, hauling her one-year-old son onto her hip. She swept away his tears and used the sleeve of her nagajuban to wipe his little nose before kissing the top of his head. "You must be starving, huh?"

Kagome wandered over to the rocking chair's most recent home in the corner of Haato's room and took a seat, baring her right breast for her son to feed from. Accustomed to the routine, Haato latched instantly and hummed happily as his warm breakfast filled his empty belly. Kagome methodically rocked back and forth, softly stroking her son's fingers that had curled around a lock of her long hair as Inuyasha entered the nursery now fully dressed.

The half-demon reached the pair in no more than a few strides, tenderly kissing his wife before turning his attention to his son. "Mornin', kid," Inuyasha greeted, ruffling the baby's ebony tuft of hair. Haato grinned up at his papa, his sparse teeth visible even around the mound of Kagome's breast. Inuyasha melted then, his typically hard exterior turning to mush as his voice raised several octaves, and he cooed at the boy.

Milk streamed from the corner of the babe's lips as he giggled at his father's playful demeanor. "Papa!" Haato slurred, his mouth full. Kagome winced in pain, her son's aforementioned teeth clamping down on her sensitive nipple as he spoke. _Geez! Maybe getting a jumpstart on that weaning isn't such a bad idea_ , she thought.

"Oh! Sorry, Kagome," Inuyasha apologized, embarrassed. He knew he shouldn't have gotten Haato all riled up while he was feeding.

Shaking her head, Kagome replied, "No need to be sorry. Hazards of the job, you know."

Aimi shuffled into the room then, yawning and rubbing her eyes as she slowly approached her parents. "Mama," she mumbled, tiredly addressing her mother, "I finished packing my bag last night like you told me to." The five-year-old wrapped her arms around her papa's leg and leaned her head against his thigh. Inuyasha ran his claws through her raven hair, the child's eyes growing heavy in response to the comforting sensation.

"Thank you, sweetheart. We'll collect it when we set out after breakfast, okay?" Aimi nodded affirmatively, her eyes completely closed now.

"Speakin' of breakfast," Inuyasha began as he hoisted Aimi onto his side, "whaddaya say we get started on some? I'm famished."

Yawning again, Aimi asked, "Can I have tamago gohan, Papa?"

Inuyasha had already trekked to the door and was proceeding down the hall when Kagome heard his faint reply. "Sure. Long as you get the eggs."

"But _papa_!" Aimi whined. Inuyasha laughed and so did Kagome. He was always teasing her like that.

A few hours later, breakfast was prepared and served and several overnight bags lay in a heap by the entrance to the hut. "Do ya really need all this stuff, Kagome?" Inuyasha asked, grunting and groaning as he strapped a few of the satchels together for easier transport.

"We're staying in Tokyo for the rest of the summer, Inuyasha. We'll need most of our belongings for the trip," Kagome explained for the umpteenth time.

The half-demon scoffed then. "Yeah, yeah, and you'll come back with twice as much, too. Whaddaya think I am, woman? A pack mule?"

Kagome tied the final sash on Haato's onbuhimo, firmly securing him to her back. "More or less," she answered, winking at her husband. Inuyasha rolled his eyes back at her.

"Papa, I brought some flowers!" Aimi shouted as she burst past the reed mat from the garden clad in her pink yukata, a bouquet of stargazer lilies in hand. "Will you put them in my braid? I wanna look my prettiest for my baba."

"Alright, pup. Let's get started. We're headed out soon," Inuyasha replied, taking the bundle of flora from his daughter. He ushered her toward a seat at the table where he pulled her onto his lap and began brushing her midnight hair.

Kagome finished washing the morning's dishes in a nearby basin and watched in adoration as her husband tediously braided their daughter's hair. He worked quickly but meticulously, his long fingers intertwining strands of the child's hair with the lily blooms he'd plucked from their stems. His brow remained furrowed and his eyes focused as though he were crafting a work of art. Aimi sat perfectly still, humming under her breath and playing with the discarded stems as she allowed her papa to mold her like pottery.

 _Never gets old either_ , Kagome thought, tears welling in her eyes, but they quickly dried as Haato cackled loudly in her ear and tugged on a handful of her own hair.

"Awfully rambunctious, isn't he?" Rin snorted at Kagome's wail of pain and surprise. She appeared suddenly, lingering under the cover of the reed mat hanging over the hut's entrance.

"Rin-chan!" Aimi shouted, leaping from her father's lap to run into the young woman's outstretched arms.

"Aimi-tan!" Rin greeted as she cuddled the little girl close to her. "Are you excited for your journey through the well?"

"Uh-huh!" Aimi nodded happily, her head bobbing up and down on her small shoulders. "I'm going to see Baba and Hiijiji Higurashi and Oji Sota and Buyo, too!"

"Speakin' of cats," Inuyasha interrupted, approaching Rin. "Thanks for agreein' to take care of Gurē and watch over the hut while we're gone, Rin."

Kagome joined her husband then, wiping her wet hands on a cloth and bowing gratefully. "We do so appreciate it."

"It's my pleasure," Rin smiled, bowing in response.

"You must be so glad to finally return home, Rin. How were your travels?" Kagome chatted idly as she set to the task of helping Inuyasha haul their luggage onto his back.

Rin knelt with Aimi to offer Gurē, who had wandered in from the garden only moments before, a few soft strokes to his back. "Incredible, as always. There's so much to see and learn and _taste_ on the continent," she delighted.

Though Rin had been in Kaede's care for many years adjusting to life amongst humans, she still longed to journey across the land like she had with Sesshomaru and Jaken. She begged Kaede for some time to allow her to venture out on her own, promising not to seek out her beloved lord, but as is to be expected, Kaede was hesitant.

Rin was but a mere adolescent girl. There was much more to be wary of aside from an encounter with Sesshomaru: bandits, famine, injury, hazardous weather conditions. For someone of her age, beauty, and inexperience, danger lurked around every corner. That was when Kohaku came forward, proffering himself as Rin's companion and protector for the duration of her travels.

Like Kaede, Sango was quite leery about allowing her only brother to venture beyond her own scope of protection. After all, he was flourishing here in the village. He was Kagome's brightest pupil, hungrily absorbing all knowledge she had to offer. World history had become his most cherished subject, and he'd grown to be quite the orator, regaling his nieces and newphew and the village children with the many tales he'd read.

But still yet, he and Rin were great friends - possibly more, Sango suspected. He spent nearly all of his spare time with her it seemed. They had bonded throughout their years together in the village - long before, too, and Kohaku couldn't fathom her traveling all alone. Even more so, Kohaku longed to further pursue his own endeavors as a demon slayer, to learn all he could about demons far and wide and how to exterminate them. In the end, Sango and Kaede felt they had no choice. Rin and Kohaku were fast approaching adulthood and would soon do as they pleased regardless. And so the two set out, bound for the continent but with Kirara in tow for Sango's peace of mind.

They returned a year later bearing many spices, fabrics, tools, and trinkets, having gleaned so much from their excursions. The villagers were in awe of their wares and victories, and thus, Rin and Kohaku created a market. They obtained remarkable reputations for themselves: Kohaku, the seasoned demon slayer and Rin, the trader extraordinaire. They became prime resources for the village henceforth, traveling far and wide to trade goods for that which the people of Japan desired and slaying any and all demons in their path. Their reputation preceded them and spread to villages all over, bringing them great honor and fortune.

The couple really enjoyed their adventures together, and soon, they were betrothed to be married. Rin had recently returned from a trip to China with Kohaku to oversee the final construction of their newly erected hut and to complete their wedding preparations. Kohaku was still gathering information in order to defeat an unfamiliar demon before returning home to marry his chosen bride.

"Don't you miss Kohaku-chan, though?" Aimi asked as she shrugged into her backpack.

"Of course I do, but he and Kirara will be along soon," Rin assured her. She turned her attention to the girl's parents then. "You'll be back for the wedding ceremony, won't you, Kagome and Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha straightened his back, his load at maximum capacity. "Wouldn't miss it," he responded gruffly, grumbling under the weight of his pack.

"Great!" Rin exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I'll be sure to take care of things here and enjoy the peace and quiet while I can. There's still much to be done before Kohaku returns."

"Now then," Kagome began, peeking over her shoulder to check on Haato again, "we should be off. We don't want to keep Mom, Grandpa, and Sota waiting."

Nodding, Inuyasha reassured Rin that they would see her soon, and the family began their trek to the forest. Kagome and Aimi waved goodbye to all of the villagers, stopping briefly to bid farewell to Kaede and Shippo. Sango, Miroku, and their children wished them well, too, as they disappeared into the cover of the woods.

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

"Let's race, Papa!" Aimi challenged the second her feet met solid ground in modern day Tokyo. She bolted toward the ladder draped over the edge of the well in an attempt to get a head start, knowing full and well that her papa need only make one swift jump to best her.

Inuyasha snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Betcha I'll win, pup."

"Only because you don't play fair," the little girl retorted, halfway up the ladder.

Stomping his foot as though he were five, too, Inuyasha shouted, "Didn't anybody ever teach ya to treat yer elders with respect, kid?! Hmph, guess not considerin' ya get that mouth of yers from yer mama." He defiantly crossed his arms over his chest then and turned his nose up at Kagome.

"Inuyasha," Kagome addressed her husband ever so sweetly. The half-demon stared at her in fear and bewilderment, her tone terrifyingly familiar.

"No, Kagome! Don't say it!"

" _Sit, boy_!"

The entire shrine trembled with the force of Inuyasha's body crashing to the bottom of the well. Haato gurgled with glee as Kagome huffed and followed her daughter up the ladder, leaving the half-demon behind.

"Was that an earthquake I felt?" Kagome's mother's voice echoed from the shrine doors as she peered inside.

"Hardly," Inuyasha responded painfully, barely lifting his head from the soil when the magic of the subjugation beads subsided.

"Ah! My Aimi-tan!" Mama Higurashi cried as Aimi climbed over the lip of the well and ran into her open arms, completely ignoring the previous plight of her son-in-law. "Oh, my sweet girl! Look how much you've grown!"

"Hey, sis! Lemme help ya out there," Sota said, pushing the shrine doors completely open before bounding down the steps to the well. He'd grown so tall and handsome in his adolescence, and he'd gained quite a bit of strength, too, given that he lifted the weight of Kagome, Haato, and a few of their bags with ease.

"Thanks, Sota. Would you mind taking these for me?" she asked, handing off her bags to her little brother. She loosened the ties of Haato's onbuhimo and swiveled the babe onto her hip.

"In case any of you were wondering," Inuyasha groaned, his breathing labored as he collapsed onto the ground next to the well, "I'm still alive."

"Aye, Inuyasha. What took ya so long?" Grandpa questioned, leaning against his wooden walking cane just outside the shrine. Inuyasha glared over at his mate, growling lowly. Kagome barely acknowledged him.

"And my little Haato-bō!" Mama Higurashi, plucking her grandson from her daughter's arms. "I can't believe it's been a year already! It seems like you were a newborn just yesterday."

Grandpa nodded in agreement. "They certainly grow fast, don't they?"

"Baba!" Aimi exclaimed, tugging on her grandmother's hand. Though she and her little brother got along well, she wasn't very fond of sharing the spotlight. "Can we go inside and have a snack?"

"Why, of course, dear! I've prepared something special just for you," she beamed. "Kagome, Inuyasha, come along, would you?" Without waiting for a reply, Mama Higurashi took Aimi's little hand in hers and moved Haato to her hip before setting out toward the house.

"Sure thing, Mom!" Kagome replied as she proceeded to help her husband lighten his load. Sota shouldered more of the bags, too.

"Good to see you again, Inuyasha," Sota greeted, helping the half-demon to his feet.

"You, too, Sota," Inuyasha responded warmly.

Climbing the stairs once more, Sota turned back to his sister and brother-in-law to explain, "I'm gonna go on ahead and catch up with Grandpa. He's not as light on his feet as he used to be, if ya know what I mean."

Kagome smiled and nodded. "No worries. We'll be along soon." Sota sprinted from the shrine then with his sister's bags in tow, leaving the couple behind to gather the remaining luggage and make the journey to the house on their own.

"Hope yer mom's got that fan thingy on," Inuyasha said to his wife as he stepped out into the sweltering morning heat. The sounds and smells of the bustling city threatened to overwhelm his heightened senses, but he managed to maintain his focus.

Kagome laughed. "The air conditioner, you mean?"

"Yeah, that thing. Greatest invention ever, if ya ask me."

The two exited the shrine at last and walked in comfortable silence for a moment before Kagome stopped under the shade of the Goshinboku. She approached the ancient tree, feeling its rough bark beneath her fingertips. As always, she located the small scar where a sacred arrow had once bound her mate to the trunk and regarded it fondly.

"Can you imagine what this tree has seen, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked her husband, mesmerized by the serenity that surrounded the hardwood.

Inuyasha scoffed. "Considerin' it ain't got eyes, not a whole lot, I'd say."

 _Oh, brother,_ Kagome thought, sighing heavily. All this time together, and he still hadn't picked up on figures of speech. "I mean the things that have happened here throughout time, the history it has. It's a living being, after all."

"Yeah, I guess," Inuyasha shrugged nonchalantly, adjusting the pack on his back.

"Work with me, Inuyasha," Kagome insisted, glaring in frustration at him. "I'm trying to have a moment here."

The half-demon's eyes grew wide, and he stuttered out, "Uh, yeah... Okay, sure. Whatever you say." He held his hands up defensively, his ears flattening against his head. He _really_ didn't want to be sat again.

Kagome stared up into the branches of the tree then, its reach seeming to stretch beyond the clouds. "This is where it all started. This is where we began. If my family hadn't been deemed the caretakers of the shrine, you and I would never have met. The Goshinboku wouldn't have meant anything to me. And you," she choked, fixing her husband with a teary gaze, "you would've been lost to time, forgotten."

A small smile turned up the corner of Inuyasha's mouth as he wiped his mate's falling tears with the knuckle of a clawed finger. "Nah, that never woulda happened. Naraku'd have slaughtered us all without you. Hell, the whole planet coulda been obliterated without ya." Kagome laughed at that, sniffling while he continued, "As for me... Well, there'd be no me."

With a puzzled expression, Kagome stepped away from the tree to face him and asked, "What do you mean? What about Kikyo?" She couldn't fathom him living a long, happy life with her predecessor, but if she and Inuyasha had never met, it seemed fitting.

"Me and Kikyo..." Inuyasha shook his head slowly, his gaze never wavering from Kagome's. "We were never meant to be. Took me a while to realize that, but I know now that Naraku woulda always come between us. And if there were no you, my bones would prolly be hangin' from that tree today. I woulda rotted there alone, 'cause I was always s'pose to meet you, to be with you. No one else woulda had the power or the stupidity to pull out that arrow."

Kagome let slide the fact that he'd just blatantly insulted her intelligence and chuckled along with him at his own comment. "I'd do it all over again, you know," she said as the laughter died. "Every last second. I'd relive it all. All the pain, heartache - everything, if it meant we'd end up here together again, just like this."

Inuyasha silently reached for his wife's hand and led her from under the canopy of the Goshinboku toward the house. Kagome intertwined her fingers with his, gently stroking the back of his hand with her thumb. "Eh... I'd change a few things," Inuyasha smoothly added.

"Like what exactly?" Kagome prodded, trying her best not to jump to conclusions.

"For starters, I'da crushed this damn necklace with my bare hands if I woulda known Kikyo had 'em that day," he began, rolling the subjugation beads between the fingers of his free hand.

Sighing heavily, Kagome commented, "And we'd both probably be dead now given how many times they saved our hides, but please, do go on."

"Ya coulda picked a better incantation at least," Inuyasha huffed.

Kagome shrugged then. "All I saw were your dog ears. It made perfect sense at the time."

Ignoring her rationale, Inuyasha said, "Anyway, the second thing is I woulda put an end to yer nagging right from the beginning."

"I never would've had to _nag_ you had you not been so stubborn and clueless," she retorted, rolling her eyes. "And we're still working on that stubbornness."

"Tell me about it," he quipped back, earning an elbow jab to his ribs that he barely noticed.

"What's the third thing?" Kagome questioned as the house grew nearer.

Smirking triumphantly, he answered, "If I'da known the sex was gonna be so damn good, we woulda been goin' at it like rabbits a _loooooong_ time ago."

"Inu _yasha_!" Kagome chided, slapping his chest playfully as a fervent blush spread across her cheeks.

Inuyasha grabbed her hand as it collided with his rock hard body and pulled her close for a deep, passionate kiss. Kagome easily melted against him in the summer heat, and when their lips parted, she leaned back in for more.

Breathless and perspiring, Inuyasha rested his forehead against Kagome's and said, "It's some journey we've been on, and there ain't no one else I'd rather keep going it with than you."

"Then let's keep going," she replied, kissing him again.

"Hey, lovebirds!" Mama Higurashi shouted from the front door, exaggeratedly waving at them. The couple turned to look, finding her there with both of their children in tow. "It's going to start boiling out here if you two keep at each other like that. Come inside and eat already!"

Sufficiently embarrassed, the half-demon and his mate continued on their path. Their journey so far had indeed been long and arduous, but with irrevocable love and relentless determination in their hearts and minds, they still had much journeying to do yet. And they would always, _always_ do it together.

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

 **Key:**

• hanjuban - Japanese term for Inuyasha's undergarment

• nagajuban - Japanese term for white or off-white undergarment worn beneath clothing, usually worn by women

• tamago gohan - Japanese term for a hot breakfast rice dish topped with a raw egg

• yukata - Japanese term for knee-length robe worn by women as casual, everyday clothing

• onbuhimo - Japanese term for baby wearing wrap worn on the back

• Baba - Japanese term for affectionately referring to one's own grandmother

• -chan - Japanese suffix for affectionately referring to one's friend, commonly used by children in reference to a young woman

• -tan - Japanese suffix for affectionately referring to a child

• Hiijiji - Japanese term for affectionately referring to one's own great grandfather

• Oji - Japanese term for affectionately referring to one's own uncle

• Gurē - Japanese term for gray/grey

• -bō - Japanese suffix for affectionately referring to a child or infant, commonly considered a form of "baby talk"

• Goshinboku - Japanese name for the ancient tree to which Inuyasha was bound by Kikyo's sacred arrow

 **=xxxxxxxxxxxx=**

 **Author's Note**

Thank you all so, so very much for reading and reviewing! This fic was super fun to write, and though it's bittersweet that it's coming to an end so soon, there will be more! To read about the continuing adventures of Inuyasha, Kagome, and their family, be sure to follow and favorite my one-shot compilation titled _Journey: Continued_.


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